Basketball from a
fan’s perspective
He’s got a new job
The numbers of coaches leaving college for the NBA is an unknown number without research. It’s likely a larger number than pro to college, not many have gone that route. Larry Brown might be the first in recent memory, moving from coaching at the pro level to the college ranks. Lon Kruger now at Oklahoma left the NBA Hawks for UNLV, we could add Avery Johnson and Patrick Ewing to the list.
The numbers of coaches leaving college for the NBA is an unknown number without research. It’s likely a larger number than pro to college, not many have gone that route. Larry Brown might be the first in recent memory, moving from coaching at the pro level to the college ranks. Lon Kruger now at Oklahoma left the NBA Hawks for UNLV, we could add Avery Johnson and Patrick Ewing to the list.
There are likely others, those mentioned
are the names that readily come to mind in preparation for this story. On Friday Vanderbilt University announced the
hiring of former NBA player Jerry Stackhouse.
The resume for Stackhouse includes no college coaching experience
although he’s served as an assistant for the Raptors and head coach for their G-league
team. How did Stackhouse perform as a head coach,
in 2017 he was named NBA D-League Coach of the Year?
1974
Has it been that long, 1974 was the year the Bucks finished with the best record in the NBA? That Bucks team was anchored by Kareem Abdul Jabbar at center and Oscar Robertson at the point. The 2018-19 Bucks team has Giannis Antetokounmpo at power forward and Eric Bledsoe at point guard. Is it just me, this Bucks team has been overlooked all season long by the media and NBA fans?
Has it been that long, 1974 was the year the Bucks finished with the best record in the NBA? That Bucks team was anchored by Kareem Abdul Jabbar at center and Oscar Robertson at the point. The 2018-19 Bucks team has Giannis Antetokounmpo at power forward and Eric Bledsoe at point guard. Is it just me, this Bucks team has been overlooked all season long by the media and NBA fans?
Steph Curry and his 3-point shooting plus
the fact his team is the defending NBA champs.
Trust the process was the word in Philly as Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and
others have played competitive basketball all season. Our eyes were engaged in the sharpshooting
James Harden and his Rocket team, even LeBron was our focus not the Bucks Well
it’s time to wake up this is not your fathers Milwaukee Bucks team, they may
not win it all this season, but they are here to stay.
Bully Ball
Exactly what is Bully Ball, Charles Barkley played it so did Shaq and Chris Webber. Current day players include LeBron, but we might also add the names of DeMarcus Cousins and Joel Embiid in the group as well. The players named and maybe others I’ve overlooked say; “I’m gonna drive to the basket and I dare you to stand in the way and try to take a charge or stop me.”
Exactly what is Bully Ball, Charles Barkley played it so did Shaq and Chris Webber. Current day players include LeBron, but we might also add the names of DeMarcus Cousins and Joel Embiid in the group as well. The players named and maybe others I’ve overlooked say; “I’m gonna drive to the basket and I dare you to stand in the way and try to take a charge or stop me.”
Few souls are capable (or perhaps willing)
to take the full impact of one of these large bodies on their person. There may have been others who played Bully
Ball the names mentioned stand out in my memory. Zion Williamson of Duke plays in a similar
manner he also says, “I will run over you
if you are willing to take the punishment.” At 6 foot 6 and 285 pounds it’s easy for
Williamson to intimidate many of the opposition. Will his style carry over into the NBA, you
better bet it will?
NIT
The National Invitation Tournament is a year older than the NCAA tournament, NIT was begun in 1938 and the NCAA one year later. The NIT does not hold the luster it once held, over the years the NCAA began expanding the number of participating teams. This left the NIT with lesser and lesser teams to invite. Despite what might appear to be a negative you must continue play in order to win the championship. That’s just what Shaka Smart and his Texas Longhorns did on Thursday evening. They won over Lipscomb 81-66-win number six in securing the championship trophy. Texas finishes the season 21-16, congratulations to the coach and the University of Texas.
The National Invitation Tournament is a year older than the NCAA tournament, NIT was begun in 1938 and the NCAA one year later. The NIT does not hold the luster it once held, over the years the NCAA began expanding the number of participating teams. This left the NIT with lesser and lesser teams to invite. Despite what might appear to be a negative you must continue play in order to win the championship. That’s just what Shaka Smart and his Texas Longhorns did on Thursday evening. They won over Lipscomb 81-66-win number six in securing the championship trophy. Texas finishes the season 21-16, congratulations to the coach and the University of Texas.
WIP
Just in case you might be unfamiliar with the term WIP it stands for Work In Progress. That certainly can be applied to the Knicks Mitchell Robinson a student who is a WIP. Technically the 7-foot center left high school for the NBA, no one and done here. Remember he enrolled at Western Kentucky but left school without playing a single minute. The Knicks drafting him in the second round were aware he was extremely raw.
Just in case you might be unfamiliar with the term WIP it stands for Work In Progress. That certainly can be applied to the Knicks Mitchell Robinson a student who is a WIP. Technically the 7-foot center left high school for the NBA, no one and done here. Remember he enrolled at Western Kentucky but left school without playing a single minute. The Knicks drafting him in the second round were aware he was extremely raw.
Robinson’s playing a back-up center for
the Knicks however those occasions he was able to play major minutes he
blossomed. His scoring numbers have been
adequate however he’s excelled rebounding and blocking opposition shots. On the
Knicks depth chart, he’s now DeAndre Jordan’s backup. The status of Jordan is unclear, it appears
he will become a free-agent July 1.
Should Jordan decide to leave 21-year old Robinson will move into the
starting lineup. This was written prior
to Robinson moving into the Knicks starting lineup.
